SEQUIM — The Elite Competition Dance Team from The Dance Center by Erica Edwards in Sequim recently wrapped its competition season with a flourish, earning an invitation to perform in New York.
The Dance Center has 15 area dancers on its first-ever competition team, under the direction of Erica Edwards and Eden Batson.
The 2021/2022 team members are Madison Edwards, Ayla Alstrup, Sofia Divinsky, Sydney Owens, Cyrus Deede, Eva Lancheros-Gillis, Joyce Caulfield, Ava Fuller, Emma Edwards, Mia Buhrer, Addysin Smith, Savanna DeRuyter, Tosca Kattau and Julianne Wilcox.
These dancers train for many hours in ballet, jazz, tap, hip-hop, and musical theater. They also take additional choreography and strengthening classes. This season they competed at four competitions in the Seattle/Tacoma area against dozens of teams from across the state.
Here are some season highlights:
The elite team attended Energy Dance Competition in Arlington on March 19. The team presented “Beetlejuice,” a musical theater large group routine, and earned a judge’s choice award. “Beetlejuice” also won first place overall at Spotlight Dance Cup in Tacoma in addition to being a category winner.
Edwards said the highlight of the competition was also being awarded an invite to Energy’s Elite Experience in New York.
Four team members received scholarships from Dupree Dance Convention. Cyrus Deede, Divinsky and Gillis-Lancheros all received half scholarships. Emma Edwards received a full scholarship.
Cyrus Deede also earned a spot to attend Dupree Nationals in Wisconsin Dells, Wis., and appear in a hip-hop music video with choreographer Erick Yanez.
At the Dupree Dance Convention, mini-team members (DeRuyter, Kattau and Wilcox) received double platinum for their routine to “Get Into the Groove.”
They also placed second overall for their division.
Also at Dupree, the teen hip-hop small group (Alstrup, Deede, Fuller, Edwards, Divinsky, Caulfield and Gillis-Lancheros) received a double platinum for “It Takes Two” and received second place overall.
The junior jazz trio of Buhrer, Edwards and Smith, received a platinum award for their routine “Blank Space” and finished fifth.
Auditions for the 2022/2023 Elite Competition Team will be held June 4, with a choreography workshop June 3.
The Dance Center by Erica Edwards is a new addition to Sequim’s downtown city center and is located at 145 E. Washington St., Suite C.
The center offers classes in all genres for ages 3 to adult. For more information, call 360-670-4600.
